Archives for January 2010

Help Your Body Deal with Stress Too

January 25, 2010 by Donna Marie

Its that time of year again when stress has slowly begun to creep into many people’s lives. While stress can sometimes be a good thing, and can push you to get many things done in an enjoyable way, there are many hidden negative stressors that can affect your life on a day to day basis.

It is important to begin to work on dealing with stress early on, so that you can limit your stress, and thereby enrich your life. Here are a few simple ways that you can deal with your stress!

To begin with, you need to nourish your body. Choosing to eat healthy foods, fruits, vegetables, whole grains and drink lots of water. Choosing healthy foods are one way that you can help your body deal with stress. Consuming foods or drinks high in sugar or processed materials puts extra pressure on your body, making it hard for you to deal with the daily hurdles in life. Take care of your body, and it will take care of you!

The next step on your low stress journey is to let go of things happening in and around you that are outside of your control. Many people spend hours every day worried or anxious about decisions others are making that may or may not have any affect on them. Essentially, these are worries about things that are completely out of your control.

Choose to let go of these worries and insecurities, and trust that the universe has a master plan for you. This can be comforting. Knowing that we will discover this path on our journey through life can be a wonderful way to deal with stress, and an ideal way to go into each day with a positive outlook on life.

The next part of your life to analyze is how you are spending your time. Are you surrounding yourself with activities and a job that gives you pleasure? Do you enjoy your social life? If so, wonderful. For many, however, they find that the added tension in their workplace or social life can be the last straw!

If your job is holding you back, then work towards finding another one that excites you. Take up a hobby, explore an old passion. Join a new club or group about a topic you always wanted to learn about. All of these things will allow the tension in your life to melt away.

So, to recap. Nourish your body both in and out. Let go of things that are outside of your control. Find exciting new activities to supplement your life, and remove old ones that might be bringing you down. Step by step, you too can deal with stress in your life.

Five Important Ways to Deal with Stress in the New Year

January 18, 2010 by Donna Marie

Are you feeling like stress has taken over your life? Do you have too much on your plate or too many tasks that need completing? Does it sometimes seem a bit overwhelming? Relax! There are many easy and simple ways to deal with stress.

Here are five ways you can banish overwhelming stress from your life! The first thing you need to do is take a look at your surroundings. Many people find that they have unknowingly surrounded themselves with people or things that bring added stress to their lives without even knowing it!

If you have a friend whose life problems are always bringing you down, or a family member that places too many burdens on you on a regular basis, your first action may be to limit your interactions with them. Instead choose to surround yourself with other people who bring positive energy to the table!

Next, remember to be mindful at all times. Take some time every day to check in with yourself about the great things that are going to happen during the upcoming day and to be thankful for the blessings you do have in your life. In such a fast paced world it’s easy to focus on things that might weigh on us or bring us down. It is sometimes an after thought to focus on the things that may bring us up.

Your next challenge while dealing with stress is to stop your judgment of others (and yourself.) By judging other people we simply bring harsh words and negativity into our environment, which does not do any good for anyone!

Next up is a tough one for many. It is important to learn how to say no. For the “people-pleasers” out there, this is one written especially for you. When you are in a situation where someone is trying to have you take on more then you believe you can handle – summon up your courage and say “no” to them. You’ll find that this becomes easier the more you practice this skill. Many people will respect you more if you graciously decline to take something on, rather than taking on more than you can chew at the present moment.

The last item on the short list of how to deal with stress, is to make sure to have a time and a space just for you. Find a comfy chair or a sunlit porch or a park where you can relax. Take the time to breathe and allow your body to relax. Many people practice meditation, listen to music that relaxes them, or practice deep breathing for 20 minutes at a time.

Once you begin taking some time for yourself every day, you will find a reduction in your stress levels almost immediately! If you begin these daily steps to deal with stress, you will find yourself on your way to a better, more relaxing daily life.